> The first phase of the hearings is now over. This phase has been on publishing,
> and has heard evidence from publishers -- both Toll-Access (TA) and Open-Access
> (OA).
>
> The Royal Society's contribution will, I believe, prove to be a bit of
> a historic embarrassment for that venerable institution, the first of
> the scientific journal publishers (along with the French Societe des
> Savans). The RS's testimony is alas rather short-sighted and not very
> well-informed, and repeats many of the familiar canards about OA:

The comment is inaccurate. Henry Oldenburg was the
first to publish a scientific journal, a project
he hoped would return 150 pounds a year. It was not
until 1752, long after Oldenburg died and long
after it was proven profitable, that PHILOSOPHICAL
TRANSACTIONS was taken over by the Royal Society
which raised its dues by two guineas to cover
production costs.

JOURNAL DES SCAVANS, which also started publication
in 1665, was an organ of both Academie des sciences
and Academie des inscriptions et Belles lettres.
Its scope went far beyond science, being managed
by historians. Despite its association with the
two academies, JOURNAL DES SCAVANS was first
published by Jean Cusson, a bookseller, from 1665
to 1714.